Resource Directory /

Financial Assistance and Grant Programs Resources

  • Magic Wheelchair

    Magic Wheelchair is a nonprofit organization that builds costumes for children and youth in wheelchairs at no cost to families.

    To be eligible for a Magic Wheelchair costume, a child must be between 5 and 17 years old and primarily use a wheelchair for mobility.

  • Magical Moments Foundation

    Magical Moments Foundation is a wish-granting organization for children with facial differences. Working with the children and their families, the foundation creates experiences and adventures to comfort, inspire, and encourage children who face the world with a difference. Family members, medical professionals, teachers and others may nominate a child for a magical moment. To be eligible, a child must:

    • Have a congenital or acquired facial difference
    • Be between the ages of 3 and 18
    • Not yet received a wish from another wish-granting organization

    Visit the Magical Moments Foundation website for more details.

  • Mano a Mano Family Resource Center

    Mano a Mano Family Resource Center provides culturally and linguistically competent support services to immigrant communities in Lake and McHenry Counties. Mano a Mano focuses on helping the hardest-to-reach and most vulnerable families and individuals in the community. Its resources and services include health resources, educational classes and workshops, and immigration legal services. Mano a Mano programs also include:

    • Mano a Mano Informa on Facebook Live on the first and third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. The live discussion offers immigration updates, community resources and guidance to help families
    • Informados & Conectados on Facebook and YouTube every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. It covers important community topics and available resources
    • The TANDA Emergency Community Fund, which provides assistance in the form of gift cards for local grocery stores and/or Visa gift cards to buy other critical, non-grocery items such as prescription medications and transportation.
    • A community garden

    Mano a mano is based in Round Lake and also has a satellite office in North Chicago.

    For questions or more information, please call (847) 201-1521 or email mamappointments@mamfrc.org.

  • Margaret Hackett Family Program

    Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system (CNS) are congenital disabilities of the physical structure of the brain or spinal cord that occur during fetal intrauterine growth, such as spina bifida, hydrocephalus and other conditions. The Margaret Hackett Family Program (MHFP) at the University of Chicago provides individuals and families with help in diagnosing, understanding, caring for, and addressing the challenges of living with CNS congenital anomalies. MHFP also provides research and research grants.

    The Margaret Hacker Family Program also offers:

    • A monthly, virtual “Connect Group” for individuals and families affected by CNS anomalies
    • In-person quarterly socials
    • In-person events twice a year featuring food, giveaways, fun activities and resources
    • Help with finding resources and medical care

    For questions, please call (773) 795-0622 or email mhfcp@bsd.uchicago.edu.

  • Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) – City of Chicago

    The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) provides education and training, benefits counseling, information and referral, direct services and more to help foster accessibility, full participation and equal opportunities for people with disabilities.

    MOPD services and programs include:

  • Medical Grants Through United Healthcare Children’s Foundation

    United Healthcare Children’s Foundation’s (UHCCF) mission is to help fill the gap between what medical services/items/equipment a child needs and what their commercial health benefit plan will pay for.

    UHCCF grants provide financial help/assistance for families with children that have medical needs not covered or not fully covered by their commercial health insurance plan.

    To be eligible for grants, children must be 16 years of age or younger at the time of application and have a Social Security number. Eligible families must also meet UHCCF’s economic guidelines.

    Families could receive up to $5,000 annually and $10,000 a lifetime per child for eligible medical services, treatment therapies, items and equipment.

    For questions, visit the Contact UHCCF website page, email uhccfcustomerservice@uhc.com, or call 1 (855) 698-4223.

  • Menard County Housing Authority – Housing Choice Voucher Program and Other Programs

    The Menard County Housing Authority (MCHA) provides the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Project-Based Vouchers, Tenant Protection Vouchers, and Emergency Housing Vouchers in Alexander, Bond, Christian, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Douglas, Effingham, Fayette, Jackson, Jasper, Livingston, McDonough, Macoupin, Massac, Menard, Monroe, Moultrie, Perry, Pulaski, Randolph, Scott, Stephenson and Wabash counties.

    The website also includes resources for Menard County residents for help with food, utilities, employment, education, and other programs and services.

    For more information and to apply, visit www.menardcha.org. You can also call (217) 632-7723.

  • Mercy Housing

    Mercy Housing is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing. Mercy Housing offers affordable rental properties in the Chicago area to low- and moderate-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Its programs include:

    • Supportive housing for the formerly unhoused
    • Transitional housing
    • Permanent rental
    • Affordable homeownership

    Each Mercy Housing community has its own leasing office and its own application process. Use the search tool to find a list of communities and search by city. If you have general questions about low-income assistance, please contact the corporate office at (866) 338-0557.

  • Mercy Medical Angels

    Mercy Medical Angels provides transportation assistance for a wide range of medical needs, including specialty consultations and second opinions, surgeries and surgical follow-ups, cardiac care and heart procedures, mental health treatment, diagnostic testing (MRI, CT scans and biopsies), and more. Transportation options for individuals and families with financial need can include a gas card for local appointments, a private pilot flight across state lines, or a commercial ticket for longer distances for one-time appointments and recurring treatments. The Mercy Medical Angels Team reviews applications to find the right solution for each situation.

    Mercy Medical Angels travel requirements include:

    • The travel is for medically necessary care or clinical trials
    • You cannot afford the cost of travel on your own
    • You’re able to travel without medical supervision (with or without a caregiver)
    • You’re traveling 50-plus miles one way or totaling 100 or miles per month (ground) or 200-plus miles (air)
    • Your appointment is scheduled within the next 45 days
    • You are based in the United States and traveling to a U.S. facility

    For more details, please reach out to Mercy Medical Angels.

  • Metropolitan Family Services

    Metropolitan Family Services provides a variety of services throughout Chicago, DuPage County, Evanston, Skokie and the southwest suburbs to help families learn, earn, heal and thrive. Metropolitan Family Services programs include:

    • Early learning
    • Afterschool
    • Job readiness
    • Counseling and mental health
    • Legal assistance

    For questions, please contact Metropolitan Family Services.